Page 1374 - Week 05 - Thursday, 18 June 2020
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people of the ACT, it is about lack of transparency and it is about the failure of the so-called third-party insurers to look after the moneys of the people of the ACT.
MR BARR (Kurrajong—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Social Inclusion and Equality, Minister for Tourism and Special Events and Minister for Trade, Industry and Investment) (4.46): Part 2 of the Financial Management Act requires in section 5:
Except as otherwise provided by a resolution of the Legislative Assembly—
the resolution that we are debating now—
the first appropriation bill relating to a financial year must be introduced into the Legislative Assembly not later than three months after the beginning of the financial year.
The act is clear that this resolution is required, so we have moved it. What we are witnessing is a grandstanding effort. Mr Gentleman’s amendment responds to the issues raised by Ms Lawder and is very clear about when information will be provided. We provide consolidated quarterly reports and we will continue to do so. I commend the amendment to the Assembly.
MR WALL (Brindabella) (4.47): It is outrageous that, regarding an attempt to get additional scrutiny or additional transparency around the territory’s finances at this time, the Chief Minister and Treasurer, aided and abetted by the Manager of Government Business and the leader of the Greens, are seeking to obfuscate their responsibility to those in the territory to provide that transparency on the money of which they are the custodians. It is not their money; it is the money of the ratepayers of the ACT, which they are entrusted with.
The Chief Minister is right; the motion is required in order to move the date of the budget beyond that three-month window. That point is correct; it is part of the Financial Management Act. We have no issue with moving the date of the appropriation. There has been quite broad discussion around that and acceptance that, in the COVID climate, this is a required step.
This is also an unprecedented time, when the government have more unfettered power than any territory government have ever had. They have 100 per cent of the previous year’s appropriation with which to administer the territory. That is beyond what the FMA normally states. The bill that is coming up next seeks to increase that threshold from 50 per cent—
Mr Barr: It has already passed.
MR WALL: It has already passed. The check and balance that exists within the Financial Management Act is 50 per cent of the prior year’s appropriation. The Treasurer and Chief Minister has come in here and said, “I want every cent that we had last year to do it again,” without bringing to the parliament an explanation of where and how those moneys will be spent.
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